Wheel cover



Jan. 10, 1961 e. A. LYON WHEEL COVER Filed June 15, 1955 hZ E IT [DP 6150505 xflsser L mm w & 1 7

f r. I

WHEEL COVER George Albert -Lyn, 13881 W. Chicago Blvd., Detroit 28, Mich.

Filed June 15, 1955, Ser. No. 515,716

Claims. (Cl. 30137) The present invention relates to improvements in -wheel structures and more particularly'concerns'the ornamental and'protective covering of the outer-sides of vehicle. wheels.

In the automobile industry at the present time, there appears to be developing a demand for cover structureshavin'gan unusually deeply insetdraw area on the cover. As a consequence of this demand, new coverdesigns are being developed'which, of course, require some form of retaining means so that they may be installedon -a vehicleproved cover construction for vehicle wheels in which;

the cover may have a fairly massive appearance while, at the same time, being of as light a weight as is posslble: Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the f0llowing detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, illustrating a single embodiment thereof, in which:

Figure l'is a fragmentary outer sideelevational-view of the vehiclewheel embodying features of the invention; andi V m Figure 2 isan enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 11 -11 of Figure 1.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally my novel cover construction which is adapted to be mounted on the outer side oi avehicle wheel.

Thednstant wheelincludes as component partsthereof an; outer stepped tire rim flange IT-WhlCh lSCZlPElblCOf carrying a tubelesstire 12-or the like having'a valve stem l3' extending through-one ofthearim flanges in order toffacilitate inflation'of same. The tire rim-II-includes an axially extending base flange 14 which may be'secured in any suitable fashion to a wheel body or spiderl5ii= It: will-be noted that the. instant; spider 15 is'of a particular construction and, accordingly, embodies features of the present-invention. l i

The "spider 15 includes a generally axially inwardly extending lattachment or base flange; ltd-which connected' at its inner end to" annular generally radially inwardly extending flange 17. Secured to theradially inner end ofthe flange 17 is a generally axially outwardly and'l radiallyeinwardly extendingnflange 18:. which then mergesswith. the bolt-on portionlQl of; the; spiderJSe;

The flangesl or side and button; wall; portions: 16;; 1-7; and, =;1&@t fine eakens-ent n le; e ative y j eepsaxia ice recess or recessed area 20 of sufl'icient radial dimension in order to be capable of receiving acorresponding deeply axially inset portion of a cover. 7

The flange 16 has pressed out thereofa plurality-bf" circumferentially spaced relatively flat shoulders21' and include a lead-in or camming surface 22. Provided on the flange 18 are a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced bumps 23 Which are-pressed radially:

outwardly from the flange. 18.

The purpose andfunction of the aforementioned shoul ders 21 and bumps 23 will become evident from the later discussion herein contained.

The cover 10 includes an outer cover member 24 and an inner cover member 25; which components arees pecially adapted to cooperate with the aforementioned" shoulders 21 and bumps 23 "to retainthe cover loonthe wheel.

The outer cover. member is a composite article and includes a diverging portion 25 comprised of a generally radially and axially outwardly extending outer annular flange 27 and a generally axially inwardlytextending an-. nular inner flange 23 which are joined together by areinforcing rib 29. The outer flange 27'is adapted to conceal and overlie the rim and terminate in a pry-oif'b'ead 30. The inner flange 28 is axially elongated, is adapted to extend into the recess Zil and has pressed radially outwardly thereof a continuous annular finger-like ex-jg tension or projection 31 which,,in assembly, bears upon the flat shoulder 21.

The terminal and 32 ofthe outer cover member 2 1" is of an arcuate looped or bowed relatively resilient con; structioniand is adapted tobottom inpushioned engage: ment against thebottom of the recessed area or the body flange 17 when in assembly with the wheel. The ter; minal. 3:2,includes a gripping,v extremity ,or edge which; normally projects, radially-inwardly and axially outwardly andis adapted in assembly to snap behind the, bump-23I- The inner cover member 25 includes a relativelyv large; rigid crown 34, a radially extending reinforcingrribj35l, which merges intoa deeply axially inwardly radially, outwardly extending annular flange 36 which is, adapged to projecttinto the deep axial recess-20. Provided. on the axially inner end thereof is an annular beadedextremity 37. By reason of. the factthatthe extremity is normalll of a slightly smaller diameter than the lbody.flange.,18, when thebead ishflexed over the bumps 23in assembly; tensioned.engagement'is thereby, eflected.

Theassembly of the cover It) may be carried out bx, initially-aligning theannular flange 28 of the cover me her 24 with 1 the recess 20 and thereafter engaging the, projection 31 againstthe lead-in surface22, An axially inwardnforcc is then applied andthe finger 314s deflectedontov the flatshoulder 21 with: the terminal. 32 being, progressively bottomed-against bodyflange Il'l As this axialresilient movementbythefinger- 31 inwardly along the flat shoulder 21 responsive to heavy impact forces The outer cover; member may then. be aligned with thewheel and the annular head 37 flexed and engaged behind the bumps 23.: It, is in this manner; thatrthe,

bead S'Lserves tolfurther augment the tensionedexerted upon, the, extremity 33, by urging thev same .axially in;

wardly along the increasing, diameter of the bumps,

Io-effect the removalof the cover a suitable; pryioff; 7

tool i maybe utilized. to remove the, inner coven merit:- ber 25; Thereafter, a screwdriveron-the like-may :be; utilized to remove the' outer cover a member 24iby inserts Patented Jan. 10, 1961 ing the same under the bead 30 against the rim 11 and thereafter urging the outer cover member 24 out of engagement.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a wheel structure including rim and body parts with the body part having an axially inset recess to accommodate an inset cover construction and having a camming bulged surface and a retaining shoulder in opposed relation in the recess, a cover including inner and outer cover members, one of said cover members including a relatively deeply axially inset annular side wall having a projection to be cammingly bottomed on said bulged surface and a resilient extremity capable of being tensioned and engaged behind the retaining shoulder, said other cover member including an axially inwardly extending annular wall having a second extremity capable of snap-on, pry-ofl engagement with the retaining shoulder.

2. In a wheel structure including rim and body parts with the body part having an axially inset recess to accommodate an inset cover construction and having a camming bulged surface and a retaining shoulder in opposed relation in the recess, a cover including inner and outer cover members, one of said cover members including a relatively deeply axially inset annular side wall having a projection to be cammingly bottomed on said bulged surface and a resilient extremity capable of being tensioned and engaged behind the retaining shoulder, said other cover member including an axially inwardly extending annular wall having a second extremity capable of snap-on, pry-off engagement with the retaining shoulder, said finger and extremity being formed integral with the outer cover.

3. In a wheel structure including rim and body parts with the body part having an axially inset recess to accommodate an inset cover construction and having a camming bulged surface and a retaining shoulder in opposed relation in the recess, a cover including inner and outer cover members, one of said cover members including a relatively deeply axially inset annular side wall having a projection to be cammingly bottomed on said bulged surface and a resilient extremity capable of being tensioned and engaged behind the retaining shoulder, said other cover member including an axially inwardly extending annular wall having a second extremity capable of snap-on, pry-off engagement with the retaining shoulder, said axially inset annular side walls being in radially spaced relationship and defining together a deeply axially inset draw.

4. In a wheel structure including rim and body parts with the body part having an axially inset recess to accommodate an inset cover construction and having a camming bulged surface and a retaining shoulder in opposed relation in the recess, a cover including inner and outer cover members, one of said cover members including a relatively deeply axially inset annular side wall having a projection to be cammingly bottomed on said bulged surface and a resilient extremity capable of being tensioned and engaged behind the retaining shoulder, said other cover member including an axially inwardly extending annular wall having a second extremity capable of snap-on, pry-ofl? engagement with the retaining shoulder, said second extremity when engaged with said retaining shoulder also serving to augment the tensioned engagement between the outer cover member and the wheel.

5. In a wheel structure including rim and body parts with the body part being axially inset and having a camming surface on the radially outer side thereof and a retaining shoulder on the radially inner side thereof, an outer cover member including a relatively deeply axially inset annular side wall having a projection to be cammingly engaged with the camming surface and a resilient extremity capable of snap-on, pry-oft engagement behind the retaining shoulder, and an inner cover member including an axially inwardly extending annular wall having a second extremity capable of snap-on pry-off engagement with said retaining shoulder.

6. In a wheel structure, a wheel having rim and body parts with one of the parts having shoulder means, a cover assembly for overlying retained engagement upon the wheel including inner and outer cover members, one of said cover members having a cover portion to resiliently cam and engage with the wheel, said one of said cover members having a curled margin in cushioned bottomed engagement with the wheel and terminating in an edge engageable behind said shoulder means, the other of said cover members having a marginal cover portion for detachable engagement with said shoulder means to maintain said curled margin bottomed against the wheel, said cover portion comprising an annular rib axially slidable in camming engagement with the wheel.

7. In a wheel structure including rim and body parts with the body part having an axially extending base flange. at the junction of the parts and with the body part having a deeply axially inset recessed area defining a recess which recessed area is partially defined by the base flange and is provided with cover retaining means, a cover including inner and outer cover members having marginal portions extending into the recess radially opposite the base flange, the marginal portion of one of said members being in resiliently yieldable cushioned detach able retaining engagement in the recess with the base flange and with the cover retaining means, and the other of said members also being in detachable assembly with the cover retaining means and further being engaged against the other cover member to back-up the tensioned engagement of the other cover member with the recessed area and to thereby provide means to resist accidental disengagement of the cover member from assembly with the recessed area.

8. In a wheel structure, a wheel including rim and body parts with the wheel having an axially extending base flange at the junction of the parts and with the body part having a deeply axially inset recessed area defining a recess which recessed area is partially defined by the base flange and is provided with cover retaining means, a cover including inner and outer cover members having marginal portions extending into the recess radially opposite the base flange, one of said members being in resiliently yieldable cushioned detachable retaining engagement in the recess with the cover retaining means and the other of said members also being in detachable assembly with the cover retaining means, said one of said members being in three point cushioned engagement with the recessed area with one of the points of engagement being behind the cover retaining means with another of the points of engagement being at the bottom of the recessed area and with still another of the points of engagement being with the base flange.

9. In a wheel structure, a wheel having rim and body parts with the body part having an axially extending base flange at the junction of the parts and with the body part having shoulder means radially opposite the base fiange, a cover assembly for overlying retained engagement upon the wheel including inner and outer cover members having marginal portions disposed radially opposite the base flange, one of said marginal portions provided with projection means in resilient camming engagement with the body part at a point radially spaced from the shoulder means, the other of said cover members having its marginal cover portion in detachable engagement with said shoulder means to maintain itself upon the wheel and bearing against said one of said marginal portions to back-up the camming engagement between said projection means and the body part.

10. In a wheel structure, a wheel having rim and body parts with the wheel having an axially extending base flange and with the body part having a recessed area in the vicinity of the base flange, the recessed area having shoulder means radially adjacent the base flange, a

cover assembly for overlying retained engagement upon the wheel including inner and outer cover members, one

of said cover members having a cover portion to resiliently cam and engage with a side wall portion of the recessed area of the Wheel, said one of said cover members also having a curled margin connected to the cover portion in cushioned bottomed engagement with a bottom wall portion of the recessed area of the body part, said curled margin terminating in an edge engageable behind said shoulder means, the other of said cover members having a marginal cover portion in detachable engagement with said shoulder means in removable assembly therewith and cooperable with said curled margin to resist accidental disassembly of said one of said cover members from the Wheel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,214,746 Lyon Sept. 17, 1940 10 2,544,703 Lyon 'Mar. 13, 1951 2,600,412 Lyon June 17, 1952 

